Weakness
“It
takes a great deal of strength to choose weakness.”
Alicia
Britt Chole (40 Days of Decrease)
As far as we know, Jesus'
first solitary journey into the wilderness was just after his baptism
by John, during which he'd heard the voice of God say, “This is my
beloved son with whom I am well pleased.” Then, we're told, the
spirit led him up into the wilderness where he fasted and prayed for
forty days. During that time, Jesus was offered by Satan the three
things that humans most desire—supernatural ability (turn these
stones into bread), privilege (if you're the chosen one, throw
yourself down; the angels will bear you up) and power (all this I
will give to you if you bow down and worship me). Debilitated, weak from fasting, he found the strength to decline the
offer. In that act, he discovered that his greatest strength arose out of weakness. Jesus later told his followers, “I tell you don't
resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, turn
to them the left as well.” He seemed to be saying, “Claim you
weakness—because in it lies your strength.”
The annual Lenten journey
through these forty days before Easter is supposed to be our time for
facing our weaknesses—for finding their strength, and resisting the
temptations presented by the shiny objects and sweet-meats of this
world. I think the most difficult of these temptations is not to
retaliate when we feel we've been wronged. Speaking for myself, of
course; everything in my primitive brain wants to hit back.
The clamor for so-called
“strong” action is loud these days. Many of us have reverted to
the chest-thumping behavior of our gorilla cousins. But the allure of
violent retaliation is a false sign-post, drawing humanity into a
quagmire of punch and counter-punch. It goes nowhere. There are no
winners, only losers.
The wilderness journey
may seem like a frightening one—who knows what might be lurking
there. It could be dangerous. But at some point in life, we each
enter the lonely desert—led there by the losses, the desertions,
the diagnoses, the addictions. The question remains, will we find our
greatest strength in our weakest moments? Will we give ourselves the
freedom to not slap back? Will we allow the words of Jesus to
penetrate our reality? “If anyone forces you to go with him one
mile, go with him two.” (Matt. 5:41)
In the Spirit,
Jane
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